


Bedside Manner Wasn't Taught at MIT

by Geektastic_Hedgehog



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Comfort, Comfort Reading, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-10 23:01:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/791195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geektastic_Hedgehog/pseuds/Geektastic_Hedgehog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper gets hurt, Tony throws things (not literally) at her to make it better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bedside Manner Wasn't Taught at MIT

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kimy you beautiful friend you](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Kimy+you+beautiful+friend+you).



> So, my friend got part of her mouth lasered away, and it was just as painful as it sounds. There was a power outage, and I asked her "Tell me what fic I should write." So she gave me the prompt "Pepper being in pain and Tony taking care of her" which my mind translated to "Pepper being way too patient and Tony making shit for her." I made this more about the adorable and less about the pain because people shouldn't pain and if they do, I'd have to make it angst.

 

            Of all the mishaps in all the worlds (and universes, thank you Reed) nobody thought that an _automobile accident_ would be the cause of Pepper’s injuries.

            Loki on a power trip? Sure.

            The Hulk having a bad day? Sure.

            Dr. Doom looking for his wife? Sure.

            A jackass on 84th, going twenty over, shouting into his phone at his underlings? Not so much.

Tony was going to remove that feature from Starkphones. He had no idea how, but he would make sure no idiot was guilty of distracted driving because of a Starkphone (he pointedly ignored the comments about pot and kettle).

            Lacerations, a fractured patella, a broken wrist, and a minor concussion. Doctors obnoxiously told Tony it could have been _worse._

            Tony hired new doctors. Pepper would be fine; she only needed time to rest and a spot of physical therapy.

            _“Mr. Stark, it is imperative for you to ensure that Ms. Potts is completely at rest, immobile...and relaxed.”_

            The doctor had thrown Tony a very pointed look at the last. Tony held back a biting remark, since he was passing from panic to exhaustion.

            He left the hospital silently, sneaking out of a back door, not in the mood for any reporters demanding an infamous Stark quip. Pepper was awake and insisted she didn’t need anything, so Tony intended to give her everything.

* * *

“No.”

            Tony wilted, ever-so-subtly, at Pepper’s refusal to accept his gift.

“But--”

“Tony. I don’t care if it has missiles installed in the armrests--” she paused, horrified at Tony’s contrite expression. “Tell me it _doesn’t_ have missiles installed in the armrests.”

            Tony Stark, certified genius and self-proclaimed adult, stared resolutely at a spot about five feet off of Pepper’s shoulder. Sighing slightly, Pepper continued.

            “I’m not going to leave the hospital in a wheelchair that floats.” Tony began to widen his eyes, which drooped down. Pepper raised a perfectly trimmed eyebrow, unimpressed with Tony’s far too familiar antics.

            “Use their rickety wheelchair, kindly provided on a government budget,” Tony eyed the chair like it had personally offended him. He always had the urge to make things better, even if they weren’t broken.

            Pepper smirked slightly, knowing she had triumphed and appreciating Tony’s (abnormal) show of affection.

* * *

Pepper was sleeping. She had been sleeping for the past ten hours, almost a record for those living on Stark-time. Tony had gotten exceedingly proficient at sneaking in and out of his own bedroom. The third time he did it, heading back down to the lab where he was working on a few projects to ease Pepper’s recovery, he swear he heard JARVIS chuckle. He threw the ceiling a dirty look, but didn’t dare speak until he had gotten in the elevator.

            “JARVIS, do you have that list of materials?”

            “There is no chemical that will change temperatures more quickly than, nor as safely as, the chemical you are already using, sir.” Tony muttered about inadequacy and the fallibility of the periodic table before continuing with the current design.

* * *

 

“Tony?” Pepper blinked owlishly, surveying the room. Her eyes widened as they lit upon the first of many unfamiliar objects scattered about the room. “Uh, Ton--” the cover of the bed twitched slightly over her, and Pepper screamed rather fabulously.

            “Pep!” Tony skid into the room, a panicked look accentuating the lines on his face. He paused at the door, reflexively stretching his fingers as if enacting a targeting sequence in the suit, before breaking out into laughter.

            Pepper refused to blush. She absolutely denied the pink (red) tinge that came into her cheeks as she spotted Dummy, looking rather abashed, holding a corner of the sheet.

Tony’s laughter faded, and a pleased smile appeared on his worn face. Clapping his hands together and gaining a bounce to his step, Tony began to present the items around the room. There were cordless heating pads, which could turn into cold compresses at the press of a button; a daunting remote for...everything; multiple tablets pre-loaded with Pepper’s favorite movies and music, with Tony’s card already programmed in so that Pepper could download anything he’d missed; a strange-looking bot that was a better masseuse than any human (“Trust me, I tested it”); and finally, Dummy...in case she needed handed things or wanted someone to shout at.

Pepper sat, without shock or awe, until Tony finally finished his spiel. After a few minutes, he began to shift uneasily. After ten minutes, she could almost _hear_ him going through his mental checklist (birthdays, anniversaries, board meetings). Finally, she smiled benignly and held out a hand, moving her head slightly to indicate the empty space next to her.

“JARVIS? Put on _The Princess Bride_ and have Dummy bring us some popcorn, would you?” Tony said, moving to curl up, carefully, next to Pepper.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope I did not botch this completely. It has not been beta-ed or really edited by anyone other than moi. There may be a sequel where Tony fails at cooking and other adorable domestic shit, if my friend wants it. Or if y'all want it, I suppose. I've been reading Invincible Iron Man: Five Nightmares, but (oddly) I didn't think it was reflected in the fic.  
> If bedside manner is taught at MIT, I don't care. That's for my friend going to MIT to find out and me to ignore so I can twist reality to fit my titles.


End file.
